Christina Levere and Sheila Skahan discuss everyday parenting obstacles. Christina, a mother of two, shares her parenting experiences as Sheila, an Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator, weighs in as expert.

Meet the oldest cat on the planet

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By Levere Skahan

Christina Levere and Sheila Skahan discuss everyday parenting obstacles. Christina, a mother of two, shares her parenting experiences as Sheila, an Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator, weighs in as expert.

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March 28, 2013
12:01 a.m.

Christina:

We recently visited some friends for the weekend. My two-year-old was particularly taken with an item in their home—and he let us know it, over and over and over again. Can you guess what it was?

Son: "Old!"

Me and my husband: "Yep!"

Son: "Cat!"

Me and my husband: "Yep!"

Son: "Old cat!"

Me and my husband: "Yes, you're right! That is an old cat."

Son: "Kitty!"

Me and my husband: "Yep!"

Son: "Old!"

Me and my husband: "Yep!"

Son: "Kitty. Old!"

Me and my husband: "Yep!"

Son: "Old!"

Me and my husband: "Yes, we know. That cat is very old."

Son: "Cat!"

Me and my husband: "Yep!"

Son: "OLD!"

Me and my husband: "Yes, honey, that kitty is old!"

And so on. For hours.

I know toddlers like to repeat themselves (believe me, I know), but I'm wondering, do toddlers have a sense of young and old, or was my son simply flexing his vocabulary skills? Granted, we discussed the geriatric cat and her health problems (the cat was, in all practical terms, on her 11th life), and he could have picked up on that, but this "dialogue" continued for two days.

Two days.

Sheila:

Expressive language can be a beautiful thing. My guess would be that it was all about the repetition of the words, the attention and response you rewarded him with, and his own pride in mastering new language. It often seems as if two year olds just hit a switch and the words come flowing out. They understand big and small, hot and cold, and an array of concepts. Combining the words "old" and "kitty" are funny to us as adults and far too complex for a child of this age.